A Cupid in Combat Armor
by Major Plothole
Summary: A story about Jack and Janet. Jack the nervous mechanic of the boomers and Janet an employee of the crimson Caravan. Takes place after they first meet each other. Can the two of them get passed the road blocks they are faced? Perhaps with a little help from their mutual friend the courier?


A dimly lit hangar bay wasn't the best place to meet the love of your life for the first time, but even in the near darkness her radiance was almost blinding.

He'd done it. The courier, the stranger, the one that all of the Boomers, including Jack himself, had been wary of, he had brought his dream to fruition and here she was standing before him. Red hair, brown eyes, her skin dusty and tan from hard living on the caravan trails to and from New Vegas. She was gorgeous.

Next thing he knew, he was standing before her, though he didn't remember getting up. Awkwardly grasping for something, anything, to say to the woman he'd longed after from afar.

"It's…It's so nice to finally meet you," He said rubbing his head and shuffling slightly. _Nice_? He silently cursed himself. That's all he had to say?

She probably didn't think he was serious. Probably thought this was all a joke. That _he_ was a joke.

Did she like him back? All those days, months even, the two of them looking at each other through binoculars. He would wave, She'd wave back. She'd come all this way, followed the courier even though she knew (hell everyone knew) how the Boomers usually greeted outsiders. She must like him, right?

Her words nearly knocked him back. This girl…Woman…this young, beautiful woman, liked him too. Thought he was cute even, had been watching him for sometime. Her name was Janet and she wanted to stay.

He jumped. Tried to reel himself in, but too late. He already offered her room with some of the other women in one of the barracks. She smiled. God but did she make him weak in the knees.

And that was the beginning.

* * *

Still wary of outsiders, the majority of the Boomers kept away from her, except the children, who saw her as another great story teller like the Courier.

Janet made herself handy, using what little knowledge she had to help cook, and clean around the housing areas, but when it became apparent that there weren't many people to speak with she leaned closer and closer to Jack for comfort.

With Loyal's hesitant permission, she acted as the two's gofer, significantly cutting down on the time it would take Jack, let alone Loyal to fetch spare parts, tools, or whatnots while repairing the "Lady of the Lake," the old B29 Bomber that the Courier had resurrected from the bottom of Lake Meade.

It scared her at first to admit she was crazy for him. Did he feel this way about her? How could he? She was a complete stranger to him. How could someone so kind, sweet and just downright handsome be crazy for her?

She had thought about leaving, her doubts echoing in her head, that little voice trying to tell her she was no good for him. The other Boomer women were right. All of them, besides Pearl and perhaps Raquel, never hesitated to let her know that she was an outsider and that she had no right coming in to "snatch up their men."

Could it be? Would she ever belong? Perhaps, it would be better for Jack if she did leave. What scared her the most though, was that she wasn't sure she was strong enough to leave him. Even if it was for his own good. If only he'd give some sign, some reassurance that he felt the same way.

But he was shy and awkward at the best of times, and she was lonely. So lonely.

Then, at dinner one night, she was sitting to one side as usual. The Boomers ate and talked amongst themselves, doing little more than tolerating her presence amongst them. Jack awkwardly sat next to Loyal, fidgeting and pushing his food around his plate, returning her gaze only intermittently and always looking back at his food afterwards.

Then he came in, the courier, her Cupid in Combat armor. He sat down beside her and clapped her on the back. "How's my fellow outsider doing tonight?!" The Courier barked with an astounding smile, his thick beard parting to reveal his toothy grin.

She excused herself, this man had gone to so much trouble for her and right now she couldn't look him in the eye. He'd gone out of his way to help make her dream come true, and she was miserable.

The Courier followed after her catching up to her as she stood halfway between the dinner hall and women's barracks. The moonlight bathed the entire area like a spotlight, adding a strange sense of serenity and pain to the scene.

"Janet?" The Courier asked as he slowly approached. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," Janet replied, far too quickly. She furrowed her brow, "I mean no." She sighed and a tear rolled down her cheek, glinting in the moonlight. "I just don't think I belong here. They'll never respect me the way they respect you."

"Sure you do. You and Jack-"

"I'm not even sure Jack even likes me," she said unable to stop the tears that now tumbled down her cheeks. She'd left everything to come here. Broken her bonds and came running, propelled by romantic ideal of an impossible love. She'd been foolish. So, so foolish.

There was a silence and then a faint chuckle. The Courier was laughing.

"What's so funny?" She half-demanded, half-choked, from behind a veil of tears.

"If you had seen that boy's face when he was talking to me about you, then you would never have any doubts," said the Courier. "Of course he likes you."

"Why doesn't he-"

"Move on you? He's probably scared shitless. He'd wanted to invite you over before but was so worried about your safety that he'd rather die miserable and lonely than to risk your well being," The courier said as he laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Sure, maybe Jack never actually told him this but he was willing to bet 3 of Mr. Houses's weird snow globey-things that he was right.

"Sides, 5 caps says he's a virgin," said the Courier folding his arms across his chest as Janet blushed. "Probably hasn't the slightest clue how to actually tell you how he feels and likely is scared he'll say something wrong and you'll leave forever."

"Really?" Janet felt a little bit of her hope returning. Most of the men and boys she'd dealt with had no problem letting her know what they wanted from her. At one point she'd been literally beating them back with a stick. If the Courier was right, then Jack's timid nature was that much more endearing to her.

"You kiss him yet?" The Courier's words broke through her thoughts.

She blushed.

"Take that as a no. Listen to ol' cupid… Just kiss the boy, nature'll see to the rest," said the Courier. "Have you…erm…ever been with a man, Janet?"

She turned a darker shade of red now and shook her head. "I've kissed a boy," she shuffled slightly and averted her eyes, "E-Even touched him but never went all the way…"

"Then it's an even playing field between the two of you. So no worries there. Kiss him and take it slow." He grinned as a thought came to his mind then nudged her with an elbow. "Unless you don't wanna?" He winked.

She giggled nervously and turned away from him, her face so flushed even her ears were hot. She had to think of someway to get away from this embarrassing topic, even though the yaoguai of a courier didn't seem to be upset by it all.

"So u-um, why have you been dropping by so frequently?" she asked twiddling her thumbs as she turned to look back at him.

His smile disappeared and she could've sworn he looked a bit embarrassed.

"Well…Um…Loyal and Jack still need…umm…Scrap metal. Yeah. Scrap metal…And…" the door behind them opened, he looked as if he'd been delivered from this conversation and spun around to greet whomever had walked outside, but abruptly froze in place.

"Greeaaat…the outsiders are cavorting together…Just perfect," said Raquel, under her breath but clearly audible as she walked past them towards her Quonset hut.

"I-I'm…pretty sure you meant consorting…" The Courier said with a half-hearted chuckle.

Raquel flipped him off.

As soon as she walked out of ear shot, he let out a sigh. Half-nervousness, half-disappointment, probably in himself.

"Really?" said Janet. The courier's head shot up. She'd caught on. "Raquel? Of all the hard-asses in this camp…and you go for Raquel?"

He shrugged and kicked a stone.

"Didn't she even tell you she had hoped you would die on your little venture to clear out the ants nest problem they had?"

He nodded. Kicked another stone.

And that was it, she realized then and there. The nervous way he acted around Raquel. The pointless and rambling conversations¾he was just like Jack. And just as in love with Raquel as she was with Jack.

"Um…Could you do me a favor?" she asked.

"Sure, name it," said the Courier grateful for a new topic of conversation.

Janet's eyes glinted devilishly.

* * *

Jack and Loyal had been toiling for the greater part of a day to get the second port side engine working and Jack hated leaving things unfinished.

Loyal was tired, exhausted really and after the courier guy had even been so kind as to walk him home early, Jack was currently the only one working in the hangar.

There wasn't much he could do by himself but what he could do, he was doing. They were so close, so…so…close…

His thoughts had drifted to Janet, he wondered if she liked it here. He'd almost gotten his courage up to talk to her earlier, but he'd backed down at the last second. He had seen how sad she'd looked at dinner and knew it was because none of the others wanted anything to do with her. He knew and yet he was still too nervous to do anything about it.

He cursed himself, his stupidity. He hadn't said more than two words to her in the last few days. Heck, Loyal talked to her more than he did. What if she decided to leave? She'd come here to be with him and he knew he probably wasn't living up to her expectations. If she left, could he really go back to just watching her through his binoculars? Would she even bother looking for him anymore? Or just ride by without even looking? Turning her back on him just like he had been doing to her these last few days.

But God she was so perfect and beautiful and he didn't even have the slightest clue what to say to her or how to say it. Loyal had tried some sort of talk explaining courtship and "the birds and bees" but that had ended up being a really awkward conversation that both of them agreed to never speak of again.

It was hopeless.

"Hey Jack…" Her voice carried through the silence of the hangar and broke through his thoughts practically knocking him from his perch. He slid off the wing and tumbled head first past the engine he had been working on. By some miracle he swung around at the last second and avoided smashing his head against the floor.

But God did it still hurt.

Sparks flew across his vision as he quickly tried to get his bearings. He heard a shout and suddenly warmth surrounded him as two thin but surprisingly strong arms wrapped around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. He blinked, bringing her face into focus.

"Janet…"

"Are you ok?" she was breathless and worry was clearly written across her face.

"Yeah…Yeah, I think so," he said unable to help the smile as he peered into her beautiful eyes.

She cradled him in her arms, though the danger was past, neither of them seemed willing to leave this moment. And then, she leaned forward.

More sparks.

This time triggered by the touch of her lips to his. She was kissing him. Her soft lips caressing his, it was better than he could have possibly imagined. He reached out to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.

All of his worry slipped away. That kiss conveyed all the thoughts and feelings they'd both been too afraid to give voice to.

Her finger tips dug into his clothing as she lowered him to the hangar floor and straddled him.

"Jack…" She cooed and nudged his forehead with hers as she broke the kiss, panting with how exhilarated she was. His touches were like electricity through her body, awakening a primal hunger that needed to be fed. "I…I think I love you Jack."

He kissed her again, this time pushing her back a little. She succumbed to him, folding back as he sat up, straddling his lap as his arms snaked around her body. Pressing up beneath her shirt, his hands explored her back and shoulders.

He broke the kiss this time, his chest pounding as he looked up into her eyes and stroked her cheek, finally finding the courage to say what he'd been aching to say.

"I-I've always loved you, Janet. Even before I knew your name I-"

She couldn't keep herself from him now. She would stay by his side, just like she had wanted to. Because he wanted it too. What the other Boomers thought no longer mattered. That he wanted her, truly and wholly, was enough. These thoughts stayed with her as she and he became one.

* * *

The next few days, the two only could giggle a little whenever someone made an even vaguely sexual reference to engines, the lady, or even explosions.

The Courier apparently caught on after seeing the way they acted and of course the fact that he had helped get rid of Loyal that night so she could pounce. To that extent, he purposefully went out of his way to make semi-sexual sounding comments just to see them burst into laughter or turn red.

With his confidence restored, and the shared affection that he and Janet felt for each other, Jack was a new man. On the day following the Second Battle of Hoover dam, he took Janet aside and walked her by the fence line, far from prying eyes.

"Someday…" He said pausing carefully, "Someday, someone is going to ask you, a question you should only say yes to once in your life…" He paused again and shuffled his feet as he fidgeted in his pocket for something.

Janet could sense something amiss and was immediately concerned, "Is everything ok Jack. Maybe we should go back-"

"No! No…I…Janet…" His stomach was churning so bad, twisted inside. His mind had gone blank, the entirety of his rehearsed speech was gone. He was just going to have to wing it.

"I have a question for you…" He said and slowly got to one knee.

He hoped the gesture had made sense, he had heard from Loyal, that this was the tradition. He pulled out his Grandmother's ring and held it aloft, the words catching in his throat as he spoke.

"Janet…will…will you marry me?"

She began to cry. Big tears tumbling down her cheeks and immediately he stood up trying to console her. Concern flooded him and he opened his mouth, about to try and take it back, anything to make her smile again. But she kissed him. Her lips stopping him from saying anything stupid.

"I'm crying in a good way," she said as she broke the kiss. "Yes Jack, yes, I'll marry you."

He took her by the hand and walked her back home…they took the long way.


End file.
